Narcan Program Ready to Start Saving Lives

Kane County Health Department officials announced Tuesday that police officers throughout Kane County will start using a drug called Narcan that saves lives by reversing heroin overdoses.

In a Tuesday update to the Public Health Committee, Health Department Executive Director Barb Jeffers said law enforcers in almost 30 agencies will start carrying the drug during the first week of September. Kane County Sheriff’s Office deputies have been carrying Narcan, which is the trade name for Naloxone, for several months.

The drug can be sprayed into the nose or injected into a muscle, according to stopoverdose.org. Kane County has issued it in the form of a nasal spray.

Under the Narcan program, the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse certified the trainers. The Health Department provided the training and management of the Narcan Program to to first responders.

According to Jeffers’ report in March, 74 people died in Kane County from heroin overdoses from 2008 to 2013.

Illinois is one of 16 states in which more people die of drug overdoses than car accidents. Heroin is the most commonly cited drug among primary drug treatment centers.